JULY 5 Goodbye (for now)

Yesterday, Lockdown in London was, to all intents and purposes, over. Not for “ the writer” and me, because we will continue to wait cautiously for advances in treatment or a vaccine, so it will be a while before we are prepared to give up social distancing or eat indoors in a crowded restaurant. Our hair will remain long and unruly ‘til we can no longer stand it and we won’t be going to the cinema, boarding a ‘plane or getting drunk in the street any time soon.

Looking at the pictures of people in Soho Last night, it’s hard to imagine there won’t be a spike and we’ll all be back indoors. But perhaps there won’t, as most of the transgressors are young. Of course they think they are immortal – didn’t we all at their age? And, in this instance, the virus itself appears to endorse their world view.

Sadly, I wonder if now is the time when young and old will split apart. In the restaurants and play-spaces of Soho, my husband and I have always been able to feel we are still part of the buzz, despite being the oldest people in almost every venue we visit. We have occupied one layer of a multi- generational community and loved it. But it feels as though we may be about to be left behind. I see few people of my own age on the Soho streets at the moment. Protecting the vulnerable was an admirable aim but there was no exit strategy. Perhaps there will never be one, as the vaccine that would provide it is “by no means certain”, we are told and, not only that, but even if the most likely one on trial does succeed, it “might not work on the elderly”.

If “the writer” and I have to stay in partial lockdown for the foreseeable future, it will be do-able. We have managed since I began this Blog on March 12th. Not just “managed” but had a blissful time. (I’m well aware how vulgar and unfeeling that sounds towards the many, many people who now deal with terrible financial burdens or have had to endure miserable living conditions – and I have re-iterated how lucky we are throughout this period.) But I can’t deny we have thrived on the simplicity of Lockdown life. Normal London life is hectic and the withdrawal of everything that made it so has been a joy. “The writer” has written, I have started work again. We have over-drunk and over-eaten. Why not have cream with the strawberries, we deserve it because there’s a deadly virus out there?

Even if this isn’t the absolute end of Lockdown, it certainly feels like a tipping point.

Tod and Trisha are back from the windswept Highlands, aghast at the noise and dirt and smell of the city. We met in St. James’s Park to drink warm wine on a hot day before fleeing from the rain to shelter under the trees. And we have chatted to Amy and Peter through their cautiously opened front door.

Writing this blog has been the greatest fun. I hope you’ve had even a quarter of the pleasure reading it as I have writing it. If we are back in Lockdown or anything interesting and Covid-related happens (Or if I just can’t bear not doing this any more), I will start writing again so, if you subscribe, you will get an email whenever I post.

Until then, from https://lockeddowninlondon.com

Goodbye (for now)